F e n e y k e w l e y



H. KE WLEY.

Potato-Digger'.

Patented July 2. 1867 @with n-ttes garant ifffrtt.

HENRY KEWLEY, OF PERRY, OHIO.

Letters Patent No. 66,358, dated July 2, 1867.

IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINES EUR DIGGING POTATOES.

dige Stlgrhult trtta'rh tu in tlgrse tttttrs nttnt mit milking nrt nf the snm.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, HENRY KEWLEY, of Perry, iu the county of Lake, and State of Ohio, have invented a new and improved Machine for Digging Potatoes; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description of the construction and operation thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure I is a side eleva-tion of my said improved potato-digger.

Figure 2, a plan view of the under side thereof.

Figure 3, a tcp view of the digger.

Figures 4 and 5, perspective views of one of the digger tines or blades and thc vibrating seat on which they are secured.

Figure 6, top view of the peculiar belt arrangement for pulling and throwing aside the potato vines, and also the form and location of the lift-rods.

vFigure 7, elevation of a portion of one of the side 'rails of the machine, showing one of the said lii`t-rods in elevation and the manner in -which it is raised or lowered for adjustment; and

Figure 8, perspective view of one of the sets of hooked iingers and a portion of the conveyor' belt.

All of which will be hereafter explained, like letters referring to similar parts in all the drawings.

This invention embodies thc following improvements: First, an arrangement for pulling the potutovincs from the hill and removing them clear of the working parts of the machine, which I accomplish by means of a pair of belts peculiarly arranged and operated by pulleys. Second, the employmciit of a digger offpeculiar construction for raising the contents of tho hill, the same consisting of a series of long, deep, and thin tincs or pointed blades secured to a vibrating seat, which is under the controi of the operator. Third, the employment of a conveyor, consisting of a number of hooked fingers arranged in sets and secured at intervals across a wide belt supported on rollers, said hooked fingers passing between the intervening spaces of the digger blades before mentioned, and which take up the potatoes therefrom and convey them to an inclined screen-chute, which is elevated so as to allow the potatoes Vto fall into sacks or baskets depending therefrom. Fourth, the employment of a pair of adjustable lift-rods of peculiar construction placed in front of and on each side of the pair of belts before mentioned for the purpose of penetrating under the potato vines and lifting them in position to be caught between said belts.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and construct my invention, I will proceed to describe it.

A pair of long rails, A A, iig. 2, having raised or arched portions A nea-r the rear end, as seen iu vfig. I, on which are erected pairs of arched standards, C and C, with extension piece O2, between which, in iront, is a tie rail, D, fig. 2. Between said standardss C and Cl, fig. I, supported in `journal bearings, are roliers E El, which carry a conveyor belt, E2, on which are secured sets F of hooked fingers, (constructed as shown in fig. 8.) A horizontal shaft, not seen, carrying a grooved pulley, F', and a bevel-wheel, G, is also ,supported between said standards. A screen-chute, II, is secured between said standards. Its upper end is turned up, as seen by the dotted lines in said figure. On steps I, I, and Il, fig. 2, which project from the side rails A A and tie B', are placed three pulleys, J, J, and Jl, and ou a fourth step, I2, is another pulley, J2. Placed around these pulleys are two belts, K K', arranged to travel, as shown by the arrows in g. 6. 'Ihe digger (see top view, iig. 3,) consists of a series of long, thin, and deep blades, L, secured to a scat, L', on which they sta-nd vertically. One of these blades, with the mode of securing it to the said seat, is fully shown in figs. 4 and 5. The seat L is formed with a wide flat upper surface, through which are bolt-holes a. It is turned up at right angles at the back, as seen at b, and is pierced with a row of ,square perforations, c, corresponding with the number otl blades to be used. Said scat has journals cl d at each end, as seen. The shape of the said blade is substantially as seen in fig. 4, which represents its side appearance. The projecting end e fits into one of the pei itions c, and the other projecting cud g passes over and rests on the back b. It is secured to the seat L by lt passing through its iiangef and hole a of t-hc said seat. The lower edge or sole of the said blade is somewat wider, as it is intended to have the sides taper upward to the top. In the drawing the top of the blade is shown as a straight incline, but it can partake of an arched or curved line, if deemed preferable. This said described digger is supported by the journals d d in bearings in the rails A A, as seen in figs. 1 and 2. A

lever handle, M, fig. 3, is secured to the seat L' and so as to project toward the rear of the machine, as seen. N, tig. 1 is a vertical shaft, partly seen, supported on pulley J2, carrying a bevel pinionwheel, N', which meshes with the bevel-wheel G. O, iig. 2, is the axle-shaft ofthe drivingwheels 0', which supports, on proper bearings in the rails A A, the rear part of the machine, and puts in motion the rotating parts thereof. On said axle are two groovcd pulleys P P', carrying bands Q Q. The band Q engages with pulley F', which drives the bands K K', and the band Q' connects with the pulley E1 of the upper conveyer roller E, which drives the convcyer belt E2. On said belt is secured any proper number of the sets of hooked fingers before mentioned, and s o arranged as to allow cach finger to pass between the open intervals of 'the blades of the digger, as seen in fig. 2. On the insides of the rails A A, at their forward ends, and in front of the belts K K', is a pair of lift-rods, R R. The particular form pf said lift-rods is shown in g. 6, and the manner of supporting them at thc sides of the said rails is seen in fig. 7, their rounded ends t being placed in holes 't' made in said rails. This mode of supporting the said lift-rods is for the purpose of turning them readily, so as to adjust their pointed ends to the vines and their other ends to the face of the belts K K', as shown by the dotted lines in said Eg. 7. Back of the driving-wheels O O, and resting on the rails A A, is a platform, S. It can be made roomy enough to carry a number of baskets or sacks and the attendant. In front is a pair of traction-wheels, T T, mounted on an axle-tree, U, and having a tongue, V, secured to tie B. The said wheels and axle-tree are arranged to turn in a small space.

The operation of my said described machine is as follows: The points of the lift-rods are irst adjusted so as to pass and catch under the potato vines, and the digger set, by means of the handle M, to penetrate the hill at the proper depth. An attendant then mounts the platform S, provided with a number of baskets or sacks, one of either being hung on the rear cndof thoscreen-chute. As the machine is being drawn along bythe team in the direct line of the rows of hills the lift-rods, it will be noticed, penetrate under the vines, holding them up so as to be caught between the gradually narrowing space of the belts, which, it will be observed, carry them partially around pulley Jl and throw 'them out at the side of the machine in the direction of J3. The digger then penetrates the hill, receiving the contents between the blades and on the seat L', from whence it is taken by the revolving sets of hooked fingers, which convey it up vertically over voller E and empty on the inclined screen-chute, passing down which the screened potatoes drop into the basket or sack hung on its end.

I am aware that belts operated by pulleys have already been claimed for pulling crops for harvesting, as in the patent of S. W. Tyler, February 12, 1867. I therefore disclaim suoli in themselves; but I claim the particular arrangement of the belt-s and pulleys, so as to operate to pull and throw aside the potato vines, substantially in the 'way stated.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. I claim the employment and use of the belts K K' and pulleys JJ J J2, fig. 6, when arranged to operate substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein specified.

2. The employment and use of the digger herein described and shown in fig. 3, consisting of blades L, constructed as described, secured in series on the seat L', constructed as described, journals d, and handle M, located and operating as and for the purpose specified'.

3. The combination of the hooked fingers F, conveyer belt E2, digger, 6g. 3, and inclined screen-chute H, arranged and operating substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The employment and useof the lift-rods R R, constructed as specified and shown in g 6, and made adjustable iu the manner described and shown in g. l',v all located and operating in combination with the bolts K K', as and for the purpose herein set forth.

HENRY KEWLEY. Witnesses:

J. F. SINGLE, M. S. HARVEY. 

